MEDIA EVENT DATE: June 2, 9-11AM at Ford Alumni Center (University of Oregon)
Contact: Kristy Hammond, UA Staff; Chris Sinclair, UA Secretary
Phone: (541) 636-4714
Email: info@uauoregon.org, sinclair@uauoregon.org
University of Oregon’s Faculty Union to Address Trustees
about Plan for $65m in Cuts and UO Leaders’ “Trust Deficit”
On June 2 at 9 am, the UO Board of Trustees will hear comments from campus labor unions regarding President Scholz’s May 14th announcement of a plan to “cut around $65 million from our budget to avoid an ongoing annual budget deficit in the coming years.” In 2025, the UO eliminated 176 positions (including prominent union leaders) as part of $29.2 million in cuts.
The campus faculty union, United Academics of the University of Oregon, AAUP-AFT Local 3209 (UA), is expected to deliver remarks regarding UO’s finances. While faculty leaders agree with the decision to correct UO’s modelling—a prior budget projection assumed hundreds more out-of-state enrollments than UO actually achieved—they believe that pre-emptive cuts are far from necessary. According to Forbes, the deficit “is expected to be roughly $16-18 million for next year.” UO’s announcement and press reports have emphasized a multi-year $65 million projection, leading to some public confusion.
Union president Kate Celis Mills argues: “Based on our conversations so far, the $65 million figure represents UO’s total projected deficit after four years if student enrollments remain flat. However, we have previously seen these types of projected deficits not come to fruition. The UO still has an excellent AA- bond rating, and reported $114 million in unrestricted reserves in FY 25 (up from $94 million in FY 24). There are options beyond closing programs and laying off mission-critical workers.”
UA is also expected to discuss their recently-published report on UO leaders’ “trust deficit,” as indicated by a winter 2026 survey of hundreds of UO faculty. Of the faculty surveyed, only 4% agreed that “UO leaders are moving our university in a positive direction,” compared to 64% who disagreed. Only 1% agreed that “UO leaders are appropriately transparent about their goals and decision-making processes,” while 89% disagreed.
A plurality expressed support for potentially ousting top UO executives. When asked if the UO Senate should consider a “no confidence vote” in the Chief Financial Officer Jamie Moffit (who has occupied the position since 2012), 55% agreed with holding a vote while 6% disagreed. When asked the same question about President Karl Scholz, (who was hired in 2023), 38% agreed with holding a no confidence vote while 13% disagreed.
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For press inquiries, interview requests, or to be added to our press contact list, please email info@uauoregon.org. United Academics AAUP/AFT Local 3209 of the University of Oregon is the exclusive union representative of faculty at the University of Oregon. As faculty representatives, stewards, and leaders, we work every day to improve our university and the state of higher education in Oregon. More info: uauoregon.org and strengthenuo.org.